London
CNN
—
The United Kingdom’s highest court ruled that the legal definition of “woman” excludes trans women, in a case with sweeping consequences for how equality laws are applied.
Britain’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the definition of a woman in equality legislation refers to “a biological woman and biological sex.”
The court was deciding on whether trans women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) – which offers legal recognition of someone’s female sex – are protected from discrimination as a woman under the nation’s Equality Act 2010.
A group of campaigners in Scotland brought the challenge in 2018, arguing that those rights should only safeguard cisgender women. But the Scottish government says that a trans woman with a GRC is legally a woman and should therefore be afforded the same legal protections.
Even though the case draws from a debate over board quotas under Scottish law – the outcome on Wednesday will shape increasingly fractious and polarizing rhetoric over transgender rights across the UK.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
